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1 Front and side view of a lira da braccio by Giovanni Maria da Brescia, Venice, ca. 1525. The instrument is located in the Hill Collection of the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford, UK. Taken from Boyden (1965).
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This thesis addresses the perceptual evaluation of violins from the player perspective. Three carefully controlled violin-playing studies were carried out, wherein experienced musicians assessed violins of different make and age, and described their choices in open-ended questionnaires. The focus was gradually narrowed from examining overall prefer...
Citations
... During instrumental performance, musicians are exposed to auditory, visual, and also somatosensory cues. This multisensory experience has been studied since long ago Campbell (2014); Cochran (1931); Galembo and Askenfelt (2003); Hodges et al. (2005); Palmer et al. (1989); Turner (1939); however, the specific interaction between sound and vibrations in musical instrument playing has only been the object of systematic research since the 1980s Askenfelt and Jansson (1992); ; Keane and Dodd (2011);Marshall (1986); Saitis (2013); Suzuki (1986); Wollman et al. (2014), with an increasing recognition of the prominent role of tactile and force feedback cues in the complex perception-action mechanisms involved O' Modhrain and Gillespie (2018). More recently, research on the somatosensory perception of musical instruments has been consolidated, as testified by the emerging "musical haptics" topic Papetti and Saitis (2018a). ...
Touch has a pivotal importance in determining the expressivity of musical performance for a number of musical instruments. However, most digital musical devices provide no interactive force and/or vibratory feedback to the performer, thus depriving the somatosensory channel of a number of cues. Is the lack of haptic feedback only an aesthetic issue, or does it remove cues essential for digital instrument playing? If so, at which level is the interaction objectively impoverished? What are the effects on musical performance? In this survey article we illustrate our recent research about the use of vibrotactile feedback in three digital instrument interfaces, using tools that we developed over several years and made available to the community in open-source form. These interfaces span a wide range of familiarity and gestural opportunities, enabling us to explore the impact of haptic feedback on different types of digital instruments. We conducted experiments with professional musicians to assess the impact of vibratory cues on both the perceived quality of the instrument and the playing experience, as well as on musical performance. Particular attention was paid to scientific rigor and repeatability of the results, so as to serve as a reference for researchers and practitioners of the musical haptics community. Our results suggest a significant role of vibrotactile feedback in shaping the perception of digital musical instruments, although the effects on musical performance varied depending on the interfaces tested.
... Fritz and Dubois (2015) wrote a State of the Art in which they discuss recent studies and illustrate possible methodologies. Since 2005, many psychoacoustic studies have been performed on conventional bowed instruments (Inta et al. 2005;Fritz et al. 2006Fritz et al. , 2010Fritz et al. , 2012aFritz et al. ,b, 2014Fritz et al. , 2017Saitis et al. , 2015Saitis 2013;Wollman et al. 2014;Lloyd et al. 2018;Taher et al. 2018;Zhang et al. 2018;Yokoyama 2020). These studies have yielded interesting results regarding the preference of listeners and players, such as the finding that there is no clear preference of listeners and players for old violins over contemporary instruments (Fritz et al. 2012b(Fritz et al. , 2017. ...
... These studies have yielded interesting results regarding the preference of listeners and players, such as the finding that there is no clear preference of listeners and players for old violins over contemporary instruments (Fritz et al. 2012b(Fritz et al. , 2017. Saitis et al. (2013Saitis et al. ( , 2015 found that violin players are self-consistent and that their consistency is significantly improved by giving them a well-focused constraint task in comparison to a less constraint setting. Ono and Okuda (2007) reported an auditory appraisal of guitars with composite soundboards in which they asked luthiers to pick the instrument that was most similar to a guitar with a wooden soundboard. ...
... Many researchers have sought explanations for the difference of the violins by investigating varnish and wood properties, plate tuning systems and the spectral balance of the radiated sound [10]. Violin performers were also required to rate violins for playability, articulation and projection [11]. However, acoustics and players are unable to provide an absolutely reliable standard for identifying and evaluating the violins. ...
Individual recognition among instruments of the same type is a challenging problem and it has been rarely investigated. In this study, the individual recognition of violins is explored. Based on the source–filter model, the spectrum can be divided into tonal content and nontonal content, which reflects the timbre from complementary aspects. The tonal/nontonal gammatone frequency cepstral coefficients (GFCC) are combined to describe the corresponding spectrum contents in this study. In the recognition system, Gaussian mixture models–universal background model (GMM–UBM) is employed to parameterize the distribution of the combined features. In order to evaluate the recognition task of violin individuals, a solo dataset including 86 violins is developed in this study. Compared with other features, the combined features show a better performance in both individual violin recognition and violin grade classification. Experimental results also show the GMM–UBM outperforms the CNN, especially when the training data are limited. Finally, the effect of players on the individual violin recognition is investigated.
... In both cases, playing and listening tests, the participants can be interviewed or asked to verbalize their impression of an instrument (followed by a linguistic analysis) and/ or rank multiple instruments by order of preference (Saitis, 2013). More often, questionnaires are used to rate different perceptual criteria using a grading scale, e.g., brightness, dynamics, clarity, or sustain ( Fritz and Dubois, 2015). ...
The wood of the spruce tree (Picea spp.) has been valued for centuries as an ideal soundboard for stringed instruments due to its material acoustic properties. There is large variability in these properties between individual trees of the same species and even within an individual log. It stands to reason that this variability would produce audible differences in the sound quality of otherwise identical musical instruments. Furthermore, there may be a suite of physical characteristics of the soundboard that would result in optimal sound quality for a given design. Nine steel-string guitars of the same model were produced. The guitars varied only in two parameters: the density and Young's modulus of the soundboard and bracewood. This variability was representative of the range of wood currently produced by Pacific Rim Tonewoods. A short music sequence was used for a pairwise preference evaluation in a listening test. The results suggested that, for this particular model (the Taylor 814ce Grand Auditorium), the low density and Young's modulus of the soundboard and bracewood had a positive impact on the sound quality. More generally, these results underscore the importance of integrating a given design with the physical characteristics of the component wood.
... During instrumental performance musicians are exposed to auditory, visual and also somatosensory cues. This multisensory experience has been studied since long [1][2][3][4][5], however the specific interaction between sound and vibrations has been object of systematic research since the 1980's [6][7][8][9][10][11][12], when tactile and force feedback cues started to be recognized to have a prominent role in the complex perception-action mechanisms occurring during musical instrument playing [13]. More recently, research on the somatosensory perception of musical instruments has been consolidated, as testified by the emerging "musical haptics" topic [14]. ...
A library of piano samples composed of binaural recordings and keyboard vibrations has been built, with the aim of sharing accurate data that in recent years have successfully advanced the knowledge on several aspects about the musical keyboard and its multimodal feedback to the performer. All samples were recorded using calibrated measurement equipment on two Yamaha Disklavier pianos, one grand and one upright model. This paper documents the sample acquisition procedure, with related calibration data. Then, for sound and vibration analysis, it is shown how physical quantities such as sound intensity and vibration acceleration can be inferred from the recorded samples. Finally, the paper describes how the samples can be used to correctly reproduce binaural sound and keyboard vibrations. The library has potential to support experimental research about the psycho-physical, cognitive and experiential effects caused by the keyboard’s multimodal feedback in musicians and other users, or, outside the laboratory, to enable an immersive personal piano performance.
... Ancak bu ölçümlerden elde edilen bilgilerin daha anlamlı bir şekle dönüştürülmesi için aynı zamanda insandaki ses algısı ile ilişkilendirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu süreçte karşımıza çalgı seslerinin algılanmasıyla ilgili psikoakustik çalışmalar (Czajkowska, 2014;Roberts, 2015;Saitis, 2013;Traube, 2004;Wright, 1996) çıkmaktadır. ...
The most significant factors that determine the sound characteristics of stringed instruments are their
design features and material properties. However, the differences between the physical properties of the
wood materials which are traditionally used in the making up of the stringed instruments, and, lack of
knowledge on how the sound is handled, make the instrument design difficult in terms of sound quality.
The basic aim of this study is to investigate the sound production process in the oud, and thus, to propose
a research method for the design of stringed instruments in terms of their sound characteristics.
Therefore, the vibration and sound features of ten ready-for-use ouds, one tanbur and one baglama were
examined. One of the ouds was produced during the study for the experiments. At the first step of the
study, in order to determine the sound characteristics of ouds, psychoacoustic listening test was
conducted using Bradley-Terry-Luce (BTL) model, which was followed by long term avarage spectrum
(LTAS) analysis and sound radiation analysis. It was observed that the outcomes were compatible with
each other, which suggested that the sound radiation features of the instruments could represent the
sound characteristics. At the next step, correlation between the sound radiation of ouds and their
vibration features was examined. Measurement of the bridge mobility of the ouds was done and the
modal analysis was performed in order to determine the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping
ratios of vibration modes of the instruments. Using the results obtained, the sound radiation features of
the instruments were compared, thus the effects of natural vibration modes on sound radiation were
determined. At the next stage of the study, effects of the design features of ouds on natural vibration
modes were investigated using the finite element method (FEM). As a prior step, it was investigated
whether if this method is convenient for examination of the natural vibration modes. For this purpose,
3D finite element model of the empirically produced oud was prepared during the study and theoretical
modal analysis was done under structural fluid coupled conditions. The use of the finite element model
was justified by comparing the results obtained and the outcomes of the empirical modal analysis.
Further, the effects of the design properties on the vibration modes were investigated by modifying the
design features of the oud in the finite element model. At the final stage of the study, a research method
was suggested for examination of the effects of design features of stringed instruments on sound
characteristics. This method was applied to tanbur and baglama as well, and, suggestions were proposed
for the general usage of this method for all stringed instruments. In conclusion, information on the sound
production processes in the oud and the other stringed instruments included in the study was obtained,
and, base on this information, a research method was proposed for determining the design of stringed
instruments from the aspect of their sound
... Attempts to quantify the characteristics of "good" and "bad" violins from vibrational measurements such as the input admittance ( Fig. 5.1) and/or listening tests have largely been inconclusive (see [52] for a review). On the one hand, this may be due in part to overly broad characterizations of "good" and "bad." ...
... On the other hand, both approaches end up considering the instrument isolated from the musician and no haptic information is provided. Woodhouse was among the first to consider that what distinguishes one violin from another lies not only in its perceived sound quality but Input admittance of a violin obtained by exciting the G-string corner of the bridge with a miniature force hammer and measuring the velocity at the E-string corner of the bridge with a laser Doppler vibrometer [52]. The magnitude and phase are shown in the top and bottom plots, respectively. ...
We draw from recent research in violin quality evaluation and piano performance to examine whether the vibrotactile sensation felt when playing a musical instrument can have a perceptual effect on its judged quality from the perspective of the musician. Because of their respective sound production mechanisms, the violin and the piano offer unique example cases and diverse scenarios to study tactile aspects of musical interaction. Both violinists and pianists experience rich haptic feedback, but the former experience vibrations at more bodily parts than the latter. We observe that the vibrotactile component of the haptic feedback during playing, both for the violin and the piano, provides an important part of the integrated sensory information that the musician experiences when interacting with the instrument. In particular, the most recent studies illustrate that vibrations felt at the fingertips (left hand only for the violinist) can lead to an increase in perceived sound loudness and richness, suggesting the potential for more research in this direction.
... Interestingly, the found factor structure shows a notable similarity to the conceptualization of violin quality by violinists (Saitis, 2014). Saitis conducted a lexical analysis of interview data from studies that investigated perceptual evaluation of violins (Saitis, Giordano, Fritz, & Scavone, 2012;Saitis, Scavone, Fritz, & Giordano, 2015). ...
... Therefore, one could also refer to it as "musical agency". The PCC facet found in this study shows a high similarity to the Handling dimension identified by Saitis (2014); both are related to the overall playability of a musical instrument. Handling, includes response and design & comfort. ...
Within the research field of New Interfaces for Musical Expression there is a lack of a common ground and accepted methods for musical instrument evaluation. This master thesis aims to assess this issue by developing a psychometric tool for evaluating the experiential qualities of musical instruments from the perspective of the musician. By embracing an exploratory approach, eleven interviews with musicians from various backgrounds have been conducted. Based on the interviews, an initial item pool was created and subsequently reduced in an online study with N = 47 experts in the field of music research. In a second online study the underlining factor structure of N = 75 items was investigated using exploratory factor analysis with N = 300 participants using different kinds of musical instruments. The results suggested a three factor solution. The interrelated facets of the experiential quality criteria of musical instruments are (1) experienced freedom and explorability, (2) perceived control and comfort and (3) perceived stability, sound quality and aesthetics. The emerged structure is similar to previously conducted research on the violin. This suggests that musicians using different musical instruments tend to have a similar concept of instrument quality. This is a first indication of a possible application of the developed questionnaire for different musical instruments in various use cases.
... This is ap erspective shared by the manufacturer as well. In fact, body vibrations can provide tactile and proprioceptive cues that contribute to the perception of the radiated sound, so that the musician can assess their interaction with the instrument cross-modally [21,22]. ...
Dynamic and acoustical measurements were conducted on 18 nominally identical acoustic guitars coming off the same production line and post-classified by the manufacturer as either bassy (i.e., with a more prominent bass response), mid-even (i.e., well-rounded and sounding
even from string to string) or treble (i.e., with a brighter sound that cuts through the band). One goal was to find features of the guitar admittances that could be used to automatically classify them according to these categories. A second goal was to investigate whether experienced
guitarists agreed with the classifications provided by the manufacturer. Physical properties were investigated independently and in conjunction with perceptual assessments by musicians collected during a classification task. Despite very low agreement across guitarists as well as between musicians
and the manufacturer, results showed that the bassy guitars had a lower frequency for their breathing mode. This suggests a lower stiffness-to-weight ratio for the respective guitar bodies, which may be caused by small variations in the plate thickness or wood properties. The guitars
characterized as treble in this study tended to have lower averaged mobility in the 600–2000 Hz range, which might suggest a weaker string-to-body coupling at those frequencies and/or a longer decay for higher partials, though these characteristics were not confirmed.
... As farasthe psychological evaluation is concerned, musicians mainly focus on their relationship with the instrument while playing (ina ll the polysemy of the word) with it, the produced sound leading therefore to adifferent evaluation while listening. The conceptualisation of violin quality evaluated when playing has then been more thoroughly investigated by Saitis et al. [69, 70] using spontaneous preference descriptions by experienced performers collected in aplaying-based perceptual evaluation experiment . Upon ordering aset of different violins in terms of preference, players were asked to explain their choices via an open questionnaire. ...
An object of study in mechanics for more than three hundred years, the violin has only recently been scientifically studied from a perceptual point of view. A range of investigations which have been conducted since 2005, complemented by a few studies of other instruments, offers an
illustration of possible methodologies, and serves as a basis for discussing their respective advantages, as well as their limitations and issues. Since methodological choices depend on the goals of the study and on the theoretical (conceptual) choices, this review focuses on new methods borrowed
from recent research lines developed in contemporary psychology.
